By Nicholas McGee

The Dutch coach has lauded the side's recent displays, despite picking up just three points in his four games in charge, while Clint Dempsey is undergoing a medical

Rene Meulensteen is hopeful Fulham can boost their survival hopes with victories in upcoming matches against their fellow relegation rivals.

The Cottagers, who sacked Martin Jol at the start of the month, sit second from bottom in the Premier League going into the busy festive period, having taken just one win in their last nine league games.

Meulensteen has been pleased with how well his side have competed against sides at the top end of the table, and the Dutch boss is now eager to take advantage of a more favourable run of fixtures.

"Taking over somewhere just before halfway in the season is difficult enough itself," he said. "And then you end up playing Spurs, [Aston] Villa, Everton and [Manchester] City where three of those four teams are pushing for something.

"We knew they were difficult ones but what we are disappointed about is, on the back of the performances, we had, is that we didn't get more points out of those games.

"Now we have another block of games with different opponents - Norwich and Hull to start and then West Ham and Sunderland.

"That is now where we need to look back to these previous games and those performances and turn them into results."

The Dutchman is poised to bolster his squad with the return of Clint Dempsey, who is in talks over a January loan move from MLS side Seattle Sounders.

"I can confirm the medical and paperwork is still ongoing," Meulensteen added. "That is as far as what I know. We'd like to have him here and he would like to come."